multimode support - See the implementation of the Schmidt 8 voice polyphonic. I thought that was very well done. You could have 8 parts and you could allocate 1-8 voices per part. It allowed unison mode inside of multi patches also which was great. Also, and critically, you had separate controller mappings for each preset as well as key ranges, tuning, panning, volume, and midi channels if desired.

Better sample handling - The Solaris should be a monster at sample mangling or creative use of samples. The interface doesn't really allow for that now very easily if you are on a windows system like me.

Granular synthesis - especially with samples this is key

CS-80 filters and oscillators with drift.

Better FM (or phase modulation) as has been already discussed

Better use of the center graphical window to display envelope shapes a la Waldorf's Blofeld interface

Better handling of sequence and arpeggio definition

Delay time modulation

Please don't spend any time on reverbs. We all have reverbs. Better to spend time on inline effects like waveshapers or other effects like Virus style distortion/saturation flavors

Andromeda A6 style envelope segment definition support

VST support for the editor and a fully realized editor/patch librarian/patch creator

More LFO shapes such as asymmetric triangle LFO's

Whatever gets done please don't compromise the stability of the Solaris code or take away any polyphony.

Global FXs like reverb are generated by the sixth Sharc DSP, which seems to have lots of room for improvments. This is not the case with the other 5 Sharc DSPs that generate 2 voices each... So better FM/PD, CS80 filters, waveshapers, inline FXs, envelope shapes, LFO shapes all depend on these 5 DSPs...
To me Solaris lacks nice reverb algorithms in the FX department...

The sequencer does not transmit MIDI notes, because it’s an ‘event sequencer’. The notes it plays are based on the keys you are holding at the time, so those notes go out, but not the event steps. There’s no way to determine MIDI note numbers for each step, since it’s just generating a string of control values, not notes.

John,
I would definitely contribute $200 for a major upgrade. Many others have mentioned multi-timbrality and reverb, so need to dwell on those. My interest is principally in sound generation capabilities at the oscillator / insertFX stages:

• LOVE the thought of granular and resonator oscillators – that would be a massive addition to the Solaris’ synthesis palette
• User-defined wavetables (it would be ideal if more than one could be loaded simultaneously)
• Make the wavetable wave number a modulation target, not just the shape
• Waveshaper / wavefolder akin to Cakewalk Z3ta+
• Make drift/random tuning available at the patch level
• Lag at the sequencer step level to create 303-style sounds

I’m really encouraged by recent OS improvements. I think there’s an opportunity now for Solaris to reach new horizons in sound.

I can contribute via PayPal and happy to do so. I can do $1K to $2K. If someone wants to actually write some code for things that I want (like phase modulation / FM style oscillators), then I could even do $5K. It all depends on how much can I get of what I would like.